Dexter Cattle Society Holme House Dale, Ainstable Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 9RH Tel:- 01768 870521 Email:- [email protected]
www.dextercattle.co.uk
A useful guide to
Linear Assessment of
Dexter Cattle
DCS January 2020
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CONTENTS
Page Details 2 - 3 Scoring Procedure 4 Linear Inspection 5 - 14 Heifer /Cow Scoring – Diagrammatical Descriptions 15 Bull Classification
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SCORING PROCEDURE Inspections carried out by Holstein UK classifiers. Stage of lactation and age of animal must be taken into consideration when assigning classification score and composite box breakdown.
Pointing System
Excellent 90 – 97 Very Good 85 – 89 Good Plus 80 – 84 Good 79 – 75 Fair 74 – 65 Poor 64 and below
Maximum Points
1st Calver 89 points 2nd Calver 90 points 3rd Calver 93 points 4th Calver 95 points 5th Calver + 97 points
VG Heifer – 4 Box Breakdown
90 point Maximum 85 point Minimum Mammary, Feet & Legs 83 point Minimum Dairy Strength & Rump
VG89 Heifers
Must score a minimum of 89 points in every box
2nd Calver Excellent – 4 Box Breakdown
All of the boxes must be 90 points Maximum score possible is 90 points for all four boxes
3rd Calver Excellent – No restriction on 4 Box Breakdown
Final score 93 point Maximum
4th Calver Excellent – No restriction on 4 Box Breakdown
Maximum final score 95 points 5th Calver Excellent – No restriction on 4 Box Breakdown Maximum final score 97 points
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Functional Trait Composite – 4 Box Breakdown
The final class and score will be calculated from the subjective trait breakdown at the following ratio: Breed Character 15 % Body Conformation 15 % Legs & Feet 30 % Mammary 40 %
The hand-held data equipment will display a suggested final class and score, calculated from the functional trait composite breakdown. Classifiers may adjust the final score by one point. The four functional trait composite areas are as follows: Breed Character Breed Character and dairy strength is not to be focused on size or stature, but as strength through the front end and heart region of the animal, strength of constitution & front rib. Body Conformation Body Conformation takes account of, independently, the entire skeletal structure of the animal to identify a ‘balanced’ animal rather than the extremes. (The Body Conformation composite includes the Rump structure).
Legs & Feet The shape and quality of the legs & feet, resulting in good locomotion. The classification to take into consideration environment and management factors. Mammary The strength and quality of the fore and rear attachment, strength of central ligament and udder texture. The quantity of udder in relation to the size of animal, stage of lactation and time of inspection. Teat quality and position, with equal emphasis on teat position rear view and side view.
Final Score The final score will be suggested automatically from a calculation of the 4 box breakdown. The classifier must take into consideration the age and stage of lactation when assigning the final score. Holstein UK will carry out double inspections on heifers scoring VG89 and any cows scoring EX Breed Standard All females must comply with the DCS breed standard for colour. Stature linears of less than 1 (38 inches) and more than 7 (44 inches) for a female will result in non classification.
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LINEAR INSPECTION Heifer Inspections Full range of points must be used. 2nd and Later Lactations For traits not physically measured, the linear code assigned must be relative to a mature female All females receive a linear assessment recorded on a 1 – 9 code scale: Linear Traits 1 Stature Measured at rump 2 Chest Width Width of chest between the top of the front legs 3 Body Depth Depth of rear rib
4 Angularity Openness of rib, depth of rear rib
5 Rump Angle Hip to pins 6 Rump Width Pin width 7 Rear Legs Set Angle-side view 8 Feet Diagonal of foot angle – rear hoof 9 Locomotion Movement of the animal 10 Fore Udder Attachment Strength of attachment 11 Rear Udder Attachment Distance from pins to milk secreting tissue 12 Rear Udder Width 13 Udder Support Depth of ligament at base of udder 14 Udder Depth The distance from the lowest part of the udder floor to the hock 15 Front Teat Placement Position of the Front teats viewed from the rear 16 Rear Teat Position Position of the Rear Teats 17 Teat Position Side view 18 Teat Length Length of the front teat
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Heifer/Cow Scoring – DIAGRAMMATICAL DESCRIPTIONS Standard Trait Definition The precise description of each trait is well defined and it is essential that the full range of linear scores to identify the intermediate and extremes of each trait be used. The assessment parameters for the calculations should be based on the expected biological extremes of two year-old heifers.
International WHFF Recommended Scale 1 - 9
1: Stature Ref. Point: Measured from top of the spine in between hips to ground.
Precise measurement in centimetres/inches, or linear scale:
1 - 38inches (approx 96cms) 5 - 42 inches (approx 107cms) 7 - 44 inches (approx 112cms) 9 - 48 inches (122cms)
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2: Chest Width Ref. Point: Measured from the inside surface between the top of the front legs:
1 – 3 Narrow 4 – 6 Intermediate 7 – 9 Wide
1 5 9 Narrow Wide
3: Body Depth Ref. Point: Distance between top of spine and bottom of barrel at last rib – the
deepest point:
1 –3 Shallow 4 – 6 Intermediate 7 – 9 Deep
1 5 9 Shallow Deep
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4: Angularity
Ref. Point: The angle and openness of the ribs: 1 – 3 Coarse 4 – 6 Intermediate 7 – 9 Open
1 5 9 Coarse Open
5: Rump Angle Ref. Point: Measured as the angle from the top of the hip to the top of the pin
bone:
1 High Pins 2 “ “ 3 Level 4 Slight slope 5 Intermediate 7 9 Extreme slope
1 5 9 High Pins Sloped
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6: Rump Width Ref. Point: Distance between the most posterior point of pin bones:
1 – 3 Narrow 4 – 6 Intermediate 7 – 9 Wide
1 5 9 Narrow Wide
7: Rear Legs Side View Ref. Point: Angle measured at the front of the hock:
1 – 3 Straight 4 – 6 Intermediate 7 – 9 Sickled
1 5 9 Straight Sickled
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8: Foot Angle Ref. Point: Angle at the front of the rear hoof measured from the floor to the
hairline:
1 – 3 Very low angle 4 – 6 Intermediate angle 45 degrees. 7 – 9 Very steep
1 5 9 Low Steep
9: Locomotion Ref. Point: The use of legs and feet, length and direction of the step
1-3 = Severe Abduction – Short Stride 4-6 = Slight Abduction – Medium Stride 7-9 = No Abduction – long stride
1 5 9 Severe Abduction/Short Stride No Abduction/Long Stride
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10: Fore Udder Attachment Ref. Point: The strength of attachment of the fore udder to the abdominal wall:
Not a true linear trait - Optical 1 – 3 Weak and loose 4 – 6 Intermediate acceptable 7 – 9 Extremely strong and tight.
1 5 9 Loose Strong
11: Rear Udder Attachment
Ref. Point: The distance between vulva (pin bone) and the milk secreting tissue: in relation to height of the animal:
1 – 3 Very low 4 – 6 Intermediate 7 – 9 High
1 5 9 Low High
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12: Rear Udder Width Ref . Point: Udder width viewed from behind
1 - 3 Narrow 4 - 6 Intermediate 7 - 9 Wide
No picture available
13: Udder Support (Central Ligament)
Ref. Point: The depth of cleft, measured at the base of the rear udder:
1 – 3 Convex to flat floor (flat) 4 – 6 Slight definition 7 – 9 Deep/strong definition
1 5 9 Broken Strong
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14: Udder Depth
Ref. Point: The distance from the lowest part of the udder floor to the hock:
1 Below hock 2 Level with hock 5 Intermediate 9 Shallow (22cms Above Hocks)
1 5 9 Deep Shallow
15: Front Teat Placement (FTP) Ref. Point: The position of the centre of the front teat placement at the point of
the udder as viewed from the rear:
1 – 3 Outside of quarter 4 – 6 Middle of quarter 7 – 9 Inside of quarter.
1 5 9
Outside Inside
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16: Rear Teat Position (RTP)
Ref. Point: The position of the centre of the Rear Teat placement at the point of the udder as viewed from the rear:
1 – 3 Outside of quarter 4 – 7 Middle of quarter 8 Touching 9 Crossing
1 5 9
Outside Inside
17: Teat Placement Side View Ref. Point: The distance between the front and rear teats
1 – 3 Close 4 – 6 Intermediate
7 – 9 Far Apart No Picture Available
18: Teat Length
Ref. Point: The length of the front teat:
1 – 3 Short 4 – 6 Intermediate 7 – 9 Long
1 5 9 Short Long
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DEXTER BULL CLASSIFICATION Bulls must attain full compliance with DCS breed standard for colour Stature linears of less than 5 (42 inches) will result in none classification. Bulls 2 to 3 years old max height 46 inches (Stature Linear 8) Bulls 3 to 4 years old max height 47 inches (Stature Linear 8.5) Bulls 4 years and over max height 48 inches (Stature Linear 9) Bull must be a minimum of two years old. Bulls may be presented for up-pointing or re-classification and cannot be down-pointed / down-graded. Holstein UK will carry out double inspections on bulls scoring EX95,EX96 and EX97 4 box scores Body, Breed Character, Legs/Feet, Rump 9 – Linear Traits Stature Chest Width Body Depth Angularity Rump Angle Rump Width Rear Legs Side View Feet Locomotion Additional inspection for 2 same size testicles and 4 well placed even sized teats
Functional Trait Composite – 4 Box Breakdown
The final class and score will be calculated from the subjective trait breakdown at the following ratio: Breed Character 25 % Body Conformation 25 % Legs & Feet 25 % Rump 25 %
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Notes
